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July 18, 2007
Sinkewitz “non-negative” for testosterone
Yahoo! Eurosport | Sinkewitz fails drugs test
T-Mobile's Patrik Sinkewitz, who withdrew from the Tour after Sunday's stage when he broke his nose in a collision with a fan, tested high for levels of testosterone in a test June 8.
Once officially notified, Sinkewitz will have 5 days to ask for his “B” sample to be tested.
T-Mobile's general manager, Bob Stapleton, told Eurosport:
“He is suspended and if the analysis of the B sample is also positive his contract will be terminated.”
For once, UCI president Pat McQuaid said he would await the B sample before making a comment.
German state television has suspended its coverage of the Tour until the Sinkewitz case is resolved.
T-Mobile is one of several teams that have instituted more frequent testing of riders after recent doping admissions, some by former Telekom (the T-Mobile team's precursor) team members.
Also:
Expatica.com | German television stops Tour de France coverage
VeloNews | Sinkewitz positive for testosterone
Adds Sinkewitz' reaction:
“Me? Why me? I don't know anything about it. This can't be,” was his reaction, reported in German on-line sports magazine Kicker. “I am due to have an operation and I can't think about it now.”
IHT.com | T-Mobile rider Patrik Sinkewitz tests positive before the Tour de France
Posted by Frank Steele on July 18, 2007 in Doping, Patrik Sinkewitz, Television, Top Stories | Permalink
Comments
Hmmm...I'm about 90 minutes into the coverage and there's no comment yet from Phil and Paul. Not sure if that's right or wrong, and I know we should wait for the B sample, but I hope this isn't brushed under the rug. I like that the German TV broadcast is suspended till this gets sorted out. Maybe a loss of revenue in advertising and television will get these riders to stop killing this sport.
Posted by: Top Dog at Jul 18, 2007 11:30:49 AM
On Versus it's about 3 hours and a couple of minutes into the broadcast where Phil mentions the positive test and moves on. At least it wasn't totally ignored.
Posted by: Top Dog at Jul 18, 2007 12:35:13 PM
I find Phil's coverage was appropriate given it is only speculation, the rider has denied any truth to it and they haven't tested the B sample yet. Any more we are just condeming the rider with little information.
Posted by: Bill at Jul 18, 2007 3:35:50 PM
As usual, the information was leaked, pre-B sample, and the team already talks about Sinkewitz as though he were convicted. Stupid that the television coverage was dropped, but that was by a company that had been trying to drop it already, I read. Totally hypocritical though. If they are so dead-set against televising sports events with doping, do they cover any of the sports AT ALL that were represented in the Operation Puerto case? There were a number other than cycling, yet only the cyclists have been named, penalized, and cycling alone demonized as a result. Where is the outcry that the other athletes and sports have never been called to account? Why do I never hear that question discussed?
Posted by: D at Jul 18, 2007 6:54:50 PM
seems a bit sad that everyone is already presuming guilt. Don't want to come off as naive, but the reason there is an "a" sample and a "b" sample is to ensure that nothing went wrong with the test. Once again, we are seeing an attitude of guilty until proven innocent. If guilty, throw the book at the rider, but until you know, why not give hold back judgement? Seems a bit excesive.
Posted by: n a at Jul 19, 2007 2:01:29 AM
